732 
BIRD-LIFE. 
its tongue cut. My father had one called “ Jacob : ” he was 
allowed the run of the yard and house, and soon after his 
capture commenced his studies in the talking line. He 
learnt all his words from my father’s voice, and imitated 
it so exactly that on several occasions people came “to 
see the Herr Pastor, who they had just heard speaking.” 
The bird first learnt to say his own name, “Jacob,” to 
which after a while he added such words as were usually 
appended to the same when he was called, such as, 
“Jacob, come here; there, come along Jacob.” He next 
picked up “Rudolph,” calling that individual byname 
whenever he saw him. His first keeper was called 
“ Wilhelmina,” and used to welcome him with the 
phrase, “ Good morning, Jacob,” when she brought him 
his food: these words, as well as others, he soon learnt, 
not only by heart, but turned and twisted them about 
after his own fashion; thus, he would stand under 
Wilhelmina’s window in the early morning and call out, 
“ ’mina, get up ! ” until she really did get up. Another 
of the maids was called “Christel:” this difficult name 
caused him much trouble to learn, but he did not rest 
until he could say it, and wake her also. No one took 
any pains to teach him; he learnt all of his own accord, 
and was indefatigable in his labours, till he had succeeded 
in saying what he wanted. He imitated the barking and 
growling of the dog,—which he used to tease, by the 
way, pretty often,—the cooing of the Pigeons, clacking of 
the Fowls, and the laughter of the children. He was the 
tyrant of the courtyard : the Fowls and Geese were bullied 
right and left; next the dog, who loudly expressed his 
indignation at the insolence of the bird, until, finding 
himself coming off second best, he retired on his 
dignity from the conflict. In short, “Jacob” amused 
